having a hard time of who to keep

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

I am having a hard time on who to keep and not to keep.. I weight every one .. I have some cals mixes and some pure .. most of them are 6.5 pounds and born June 1st.. but to me that isn't good enough.. should I put them in the freezer.? I do have a very good body type and big purebred cal to breed with them to bring up the weight.. well, Hoping to... He is 8 pounds and is 5 months old. I also have a show quality nz doe.. she is only 5 pounds at 4 months old. .. then I have the same lines but they are adult.. 11 and 12 pounds.. they are sure slower to grow .. but nice when it comes to adult size.. I don't know what to do

 

[Zass]

Trust your guts to determine what is and isn't good enough. I'd personally put them in the freezer.

And 5 lbs at 4 months is tiny for any meat type rabbit. I'd have culled it before now just for failing to make butcher size by 12 weeks.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

I am not talking about the pure nz.... she isn't going anywhere.. I am mainly taking about the 6.5 pounds that was born on june 1 .. if I should put them in the freezer or keep and breed

the one in my avator is a relation to the one that is only 5 pounds at 4 months old. as they are slow to mature .. but a good size later on .. that is what show quality is like compare to the commercial lines..

 

[Zass]

I am not talking about the pure nz.... she isn't going anywhere.. I am mainly taking about the 6.5 pounds that was born on june 1 .. if I should put them in the freezer or keep and breed

the one in my avator is a relation to the one that is only 5 pounds at 4 months old. as they are slow to mature .. but a good size later on .. that is what show quality is like compare to the commercial lines..

I suppose it's a good example of why show rabbit lines don't always make for good meat lines.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

I know. It really does suck that way.. .. I am going to try something.. and put the show in the commercial lines and see what happens.

 

[Zass]

If your lucky, you'll get some hybrid vigor with a first generation cross.

My pedigreed velveteen lop buck was very close to 8 lbs by 5 months. (WAY over acceptable weight, and from someone who intends to present them at convention this year, no less)

Well, they've made good production crosses... :lol:
It just amazes me how much bloodline matters more than breed when it comes to growth rates.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

yes,, grumpy knows allot of this stuff